Latch for sliding doors



(No Model)" 7 W. H. THOMAS. LATCH FOR SLIDING DOORS,

No. 416,082. Patented Nov; 26, 1889.

INVENTEIH:

- ,mw. M

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM H. THOMAS, OF JENKINTOIVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

LATCH FOR SLIDING DOORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,082, dated November26, 1889.

Application filed April 27, 1889. Serial No. 308,825. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

. Be itknown that I, IVILLIAM I-l. THOMAS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Je nkintown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches for SlidingDoors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear andexact description of the invention.

My invention relates to fastenings for sliding doors of that characterwhich are usually employed on barns, stables, or other buildings wherethe same roll or slide on suitable hangers or ways on either side of thewalls of such buildings instead of between thesame.

My invention consists in the provision ofa new and improved form ofpivoted latch having an enlargement or head 011 its opposite end fromthat of its pivot projecting at right angles with the vertical plane ofthe latch bar or arm, said head having its outer end beveled or roundedand its inner end straight, forming an angular shoulder, the saidrounded surface striking the upturned end of the latch-hook or catch andriding over the same, thus allowing the latch-bar to drop into the spaceor notch between said upturned end and the post or door and rest on theshank of the catch, preventing the swinging of the door on its hangersand the shoulder of the head to engage with the rear surface of theupturned end of the catch, thus preventing the sliding of the door untilthe latch is raised.

The above features will be more particu larly described and claimedhereinafter, and will be clearly understood upon reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimprovements in position for use with the latch about to engage with itscatch. elevation of the latch and catch in engagement, and Fig. 3 is anelevation of a modified use of the latch.

A represents the latch bar or arm, pivoted on the screw to in the door Band having on its outer end the enlargement or offset 0, extendinglaterally relatively to the vertical plane of said latch-arm and havingthe rounded outer end 0, which is double the width of the thickness ofthe arm A, and hav- Fig. 2 is an staple or retainer D, having its endsembedded in the door B, and is secured in place thereby. The latch-hookor catch E is secured in the door F, as in Figs. 1 and 3, or the post G,as in Fig. 2,by means of its shank 6 being partly driven into said dooror post, said catchhaving the upturned end 6", with its outer upper-andlower edges rounded off. The purpose of rounding off the edges of thecatch E and the end of the head C is to guard against injury to horsesand cattle when coming into contact therewith while passing through theopen doorway, which injury would be most likely to result if the headwere made wedge-shaped, although either form of head will operateequally as well.

When the door is slid or otherwise propelled into the positions shown inFigs. 2 and 3, the rounded end 0 of, the latch-head (C will strikeagainst and ride over the end 6 of the catch E and drop back of or onthe opposite side of the catch from which it struck, the square shoulderof said head abutting against the face of the catch in such position andpreventing the sliding or opening of the door. The portion of thelatch-arm A contiguous to the head C rests, when the head is in theposition above described, in the notch or space between the upturned ende and the door or post and 011 the shank e, thus preventing the swingingof the door and the disengagement of the latch with its catch until thesaid latch is raised.

In order to facilitate the raising of the latch-arm A preparatory toopening the door 13, I have shown the use of an ordinary thumb-lever II,projecting through an opening in the door and in an opening in the theusual plate It, secured to said door; yet I do not confine myself tothis form of latchraising device, as any other suitable or desiredmeans, as a knob or the like, can be used to the same advantage. I11fact, as

shown in Fig. 3, a raising-lever or other device is not absolutelynecessary, for the mere provision of an opening I) in the door B to therear of and partly below the latch-arm A will serve to permit of theinsert-ion of the finger from the inside of the door, thus affording aneasy mode of raising said latch-arm.

It will be observed that the space between the upturned end 6 of catch Eand the door or post is only sufficient to permit of the entrancethereto of the latch-arm A, thus preventing the rattling of the door andkeeping said door and post or doors in alignment when closed. In theevent of the disalignment of the edges of the door or doors with thepost, due to springing or warping of the same when the same areunlatched, it is only necessary to press them inwardly when closed untilthe latch-arm drops into the recess in the catch, where it will besecurely held.

With the above form of fastening for sliding doors, where the same areoutside of the walls of the building, the old methods of fastening aresuperseded by a latch, by means of which the securing of the doorsagainst opening accidentally is accomplished by the single operation ofclosing the door, while the head on the latch-arm serves to facilitatethe operation and keep the said arm in its place in the catch by reasonof its weight.

What I claim as my invention is as follows: 1. A latch for slidingdoors, consisting of a bar or arm pivoted at one end on said door andhaving on its other end an enlargement or head with a lateral offset orshoulder thereon and having its outer end beveled or rounded, said endwhen the door is closed striking against and riding over a catch on theother door or post, the shoulder engaging With the rear side of saidcatch and the latcharm resting in the recess therein, said arm beingprovided with suitable means for raising or unlatching it, substantiallyas shown and described.

2. In a latch for sliding doors, the combination, with the arm A,pivoted on the screw a in the door B and limited in its movements by theretainer D on said door, said arm having the head C, with the roundedend 0 and the shoulder a, for engagement with the rear side of theupturned end 6 of the shank e of the catch E on the other door or post Fwhen the door is closed, of the thumb-lever H, pivoted in an opening inthe door B, the end thereof projecting through an opening in the plateIt and under said arm A, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at the city ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, this 22d day of April, A. D. 1889.

WVILLIAM H. THOMAS.

\Vitnesses:

WILL l-I. POWELL, R. DALE SPARHAWK.

